Cessna T210N accident near Kyburz, California, February 16, 1991
On February 16, 1991 at about 2:50 am local time, a Cessna T210N, registered N9448Y, was destroyed in an accident near Kyburz, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S ATTEMPT TO CONDUCT HIS VISUAL FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND THE LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL BY BECOMING SPATIAL DISORIENTED. THE LOW CEILINGS AND THE DARK NIGHT THAT EXISTED IN THE AREA WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 16, 1991 · about 2:50 am local time
- Place
- Kyburz, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210N · all T210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N9448Y · no longer on the register · serial 21064510
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT TOOK OFF ON A NIGHT FLIGHT TO RETURN TO HIS HOME UNDER VISUAL FLIGHT RULES WITHOUT OBTAINING A WEATHER BRIEFING OR FILING A FLIGHT PLAN. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS EXISTED ALONG THE ROUTE AT THE TIME. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT FAILED TO ARRIVE AT ITS DESTINATION THE PILOT'S FAMILY REPORTED HIM OVERDUE. AN AERIAL SEARCH ALONG THE AIRCRAFT'S ASSUMED FLIGHT ROUTE WAS UNSUCCESSFUL UNTIL AN NTAP OF THE AIRCRAFT'S RADAR TRACK WAS OBTAINED FROM FAA'S AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER. THE SEARCH AIRCRAFT, USING THE NTAP AS A GUIDE, FOUND THE AIRCRAFT'S WRECKAGE IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT THE END OF THE RADAR PLOT.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,550 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-R (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: South Tahoe Const. CO.
The flight
- Departed from: PVF Placerville CA
- Destination: 043 Yerington NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:51 am from TVL, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.